Te Ngākau Update
From WCC - 24 September 2025
Exterior of Te Matapihi Kete Ao Nui - Central Library
Kia ora Te Ngākau neighbour,
Here’s the latest information on everything going on in Te Ngākau Civic Precinct:
Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui – rededication ceremony and a first look inside
Following the recent practical completion of Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui, the building was blessed in the early hours of Saturday 13 September with a tohi tāngaengae (rededication) ceremony led by our mana whenua partners and tohunga (tikanga experts).
Four artist-commissioned rawa were also unveiled and a dedicated website launched. Check out the website for a glimpse inside the new building and to learn more about the co-design process. The rawa are large-scale commissioned artworks by mana whenua artists, and include the poem “Brown Optimism” by J.C. Sturm, which has been placed on the southern facade.
The fit-out of Te Matapihi continues, and the hoarding and fences on Harris and Victoria Streets will be removed in December. Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui will reopen with a celebration on 14 March 2026, and this will mark the beginning of the reawakening of Te Ngākau Civic Precinct.
Te Ngākau Annex - construction prep has begun
Progress on the Town Hall is now well ahead of schedule, with construction completion due in July 2026. This is eight months earlier than expected when the Council increased funding in October 2023 and the project was re-planned.
The Town Hall front-of-house facilities will be provided via an Annex building which will feature a relatively lightweight timber frame and will use the existing MOB foundations to help keep costs down.
Now that the demolition of MOB is complete, our contractor has started preparing the site for construction of the Annex. We are expecting some construction noise from October to December as we prepare the foundations to receive the timber structure. Our construction partner has dropped this letter to nearby businesses and residents with an update on the Annex project.
Harris street upgrade
We are upgrading Harris Street to provide a safer environment for pedestrians, library users, and Police operations. These improvements were consulted on as part of a Traffic Resolution and approved by the Council on August 28th. These improvements will begin in October and will be completed by March 2026. From December to March 2026 Harris Street will be one-way, with only the eastbound lane open to vehicles. There will also be changes to car parks and pedestrian routes temporarily during the construction period.
Maps showing the work are available here, and a video of the work plan is here.
Plaza landscaping
Landscaping work in the plaza continues, and is due to be completed by March 2026 before the opening of Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui.
City to Sea Bridge
This project is currently paused as we await the central government announcement on the review of the earthquake-prone building system.
Contact us & more information
If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at TeNgakau@wcc.govt.nz and the right WCC team member will get back to you. Get the latest information and sign up for our email updates at wellington.govt.nz/te-ngakau.
Ngā mihi,
WCC Te Ngākau team
